Multitool.org Forum
+-

Hello Lurker! Remove this ad and much more by logging in.


Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...

pr Offline jatrias

  • Full Member
  • ***
    • Posts: 121
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #30 on: March 21, 2011, 05:21:20 PM
 :pok: how did it go? :think:


us Offline gustophersmob

  • *
  • No Life Club
  • ******
    • Posts: 4,075
  • <><
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #31 on: March 21, 2011, 11:14:29 PM
As sad as this sounds, I still haven't gotten around to it yet...   :ahhh  :twak:
If the trees blew down the wind and no one was around, would the alphabet song really go backwards?


pr Offline jatrias

  • Full Member
  • ***
    • Posts: 121
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #32 on: March 22, 2011, 02:58:56 PM
 :twak: :gimme: :pok: All in do time! :tu: I know, it took me a few months of youtube videos, getting some cheap stones (the $2 to $7 double sided hardware store aluminum oxide) rubber mouse pad , wet n dry sand paper and knives to practice with. At the end i finally understood what i was supposed to do and how to to it. Now i can sharpen all my knives to shaving sharp!! Only by going through the process you'll get your own sharpenig groove on!! :cheers: Btw, i most confess that i was afraid to damage my blades and held back the day. Once i did it ,the fear started to go away with each new sharpening session. Some tears  :think: :drink: :ahhh and :rant: at first but at the end :D :climber: :cheers: Now get on with it :pok: :D ;)
« Last Edit: March 22, 2011, 03:23:29 PM by jatrias »


us Offline gustophersmob

  • *
  • No Life Club
  • ******
    • Posts: 4,075
  • <><
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #33 on: December 16, 2011, 01:33:42 AM
Well, I have finally got around to trying again....  :ahhh  Boy, was my cadet getting dull!  ::)

I used the tips in this thread, plus some from other forums and I have gotten a MUCH better result.

Here is what I did (using my lansky kit with the 5 stones):

1) I made sure that the two brackets were parallel where they meet the blade.  Before, when I tightened down the thumb screw the two sides was at an angle.
2) I set up each stone and rod before starting, ensuring that the rod was in plane with the face of the stone and that the rod was straight.
3)Marked the bevel with a sharpie.
4) Started with extra coarse stone on the 25 degree hole (experimented and the 25 seemed to remove the sharpie markings the best.
5) Did 20 passes per side, the 1st 10 using a back and forth motion; the second 10 going from tang to tip in one smooth motion
6) I used a heavier touch, but not too heavy.  I wasn't grinding down on it, but I wasn't light as a feather like before. I could feel a burr after each side this way.
7) Repeated the above with the coarse and medium stones.
8 ) Using the fine stone I did 5 passes per side, tang to tip and switched sides.  I repeated this 4 times.
9) Using the ultra fine stone I did one tang to tip swipe per side and switched.  Did this approximately 20 times.

Doing this, I now have an acceptably sharp knife.  It doesn't yet pop hair, but I think using this method I will get close with more practice!  :cheers:
« Last Edit: December 16, 2011, 01:36:28 AM by gustophersmob »
If the trees blew down the wind and no one was around, would the alphabet song really go backwards?


us Offline Ashley

  • *
  • Absolutely No Life Club
  • *******
    • Posts: 5,241
  • AKA Knife Crazied
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #34 on: December 16, 2011, 01:39:27 AM
Try the lansky 4 rod turnbox.


us Offline Adam Clark

  • Full Member
  • ***
    • Posts: 165
  • Strictly LEATHERMAN 99% of the time!
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #35 on: December 16, 2011, 03:59:39 AM
All of my blades that I use get stropped. Just like a straight razor.
The key is PRESSURE.
Soft steel, like on a SAK shouldn't require much pressure applied to the blade against the sharpening stone/rod.
When it comes to sharpening with stones or rods, I ALWAYS USE A ROD. I personally get the best results with a rod (diamond coated).

But I maintain a great edge on my blades by stropping the blade on a strip of leather.
The stropping method is pretty much used for CONVEX EDGE blades, but I use it on all my knives.

I took an old Buck 110 and stropped it for a half an hour lightly...... the knife was sharper than any out f box Spyderco I've ever bought..... Stropping has given me AMAZING RESULTS.

Check on youtube, and search for "HOW TO SHARPEN A KNIFE".

I'll tell you though.... sharpening a knife PROPERLY with a stone takes a lot of practice, and a steady hand.
Rods and stropping, to me, is simple and more effective..... that's just me :)


Offline Peter

  • Jr. Member
  • **
    • Posts: 83
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #36 on: December 16, 2011, 09:58:26 PM
Gday Gustophersmob I don't want to wind you up, or give you the sh*ts. But you are 100% better of, with a flat stone, and a knife that you don't care about { fixed blade}. Whenever you get a spare 5 mins just grind the knife away. After a while you will start to get a feel for it. It's just like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get. This might sound crazy, but after a while it starts to become fun. Cheers Peter


gb Offline AimlessWanderer

  • *
  • Zombie Apprentice
  • ********
    • Posts: 17,517
  • I'm not a pessimist, I'm an experienced optimist!
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #37 on: December 16, 2011, 10:45:36 PM
Gday Gustophersmob I don't want to wind you up, or give you the sh*ts. But you are 100% better of, with a flat stone, and a knife that you don't care about { fixed blade}. Whenever you get a spare 5 mins just grind the knife away. After a while you will start to get a feel for it. It's just like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get. This might sound crazy, but after a while it starts to become fun. Cheers Peter
:imws:

It took me quite a while to get my head round what I was doing wrong when I first started learning, and found the easiest way of learning how to get it right was to spend a lot of time getting it wrong.

Cheapo crappy knife of any variety and just grind away. To start off with don't even bother trying to sharpen it, just try to find a way of grinding at a consistent angle (both sides) that works for you. The more you practice that, you'll find the knife sharpening almost looks after itself  ;)

Once you've got your head round the mechanics and what to look for - again from playing around - getting a usable edge should be pretty straight forward. Then it's time to play around with other techniques, steeling, stropping, the edge of a car window, the base of a coffee mug, whatever you fancy really. My techniques aren't necessarily the same as other peoples - it just works for me  :) This way if your knife goes dull when you're away from your trusted sharpening system of choice you'll be able to improvise a "sharpener" from what's around you and get back up and running again  :tu:


The cantankerous but occasionally useful member, formally known as 50ft-trad


us Offline tattoosteve99

  • *
  • Absolutely No Life Club
  • *******
    • Posts: 6,316
Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #38 on: December 16, 2011, 11:50:24 PM
I use a Japanese water stone. 1000 grit on one side and 6000 on the other. It takes a long time at that grit to get a good edge but it lasts a very long time.
If I remember correctly, wait, what was I saying?


Offline Peter

  • Jr. Member
  • **
    • Posts: 83
Re: Help me overcome my inability to sharpen a knife...
Reply #39 on: December 17, 2011, 12:04:57 AM
Steve i take my hat off to you. Thats when it is no longer putting a useable edge on a knife, and becomes almost a art form. I have the upmost respect for anyone who takes the time, and trouble to learn to sharpen knives that way. :tu: :tu: :tu:


 

Donations

Operational Funds

Help us keep the Unworkable working!
Donate with PayPal!
March Goal: $300.00
Due Date: Mar 31
Total Receipts: $379.86
PayPal Fees: $19.62
Net Balance: $360.24
Above Goal: $60.24
Site Currency: USD
120% 
March Donations

Community Links


Powered by EzPortal